Line #3 Radio/BecauseNews


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/because_news.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:We're asking the questions, and guessing the answers. [[CatchPhrase Why? Because news!]]]]
3	''Radio/BecauseNews'' is a half-hour [[Creator/{{CBC}} CBC Radio]] PanelGame hosted by [[Series/ThisHourHas22Minutes Gavin Crawford]], and is arguably the first notable Canadian panel game of its kind since ''Front Page Challenge''.
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5	The format could best be described as a cross between ''Series/MockTheWeek'', ''Radio/ImSorryIHaventAClue'' and ''Series/AtMidnight'': there are no teams or captains, and each episode three contestants [[ThePointsMeanNothing compete for points]] as they answer questions on the hottest news of the week from Canada and around the world. The listening audience is encouraged to participate in the discussion via designated Website/{{Twitter}} hashtags. Compare to Creator/{{NPR}}'s ''Radio/WaitWaitDontTellMe''.
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7	Unusually for a panel game, ''Because News'' has very few recurring games. There are, however, a few semi-regularly occurring games:
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9	* '''Hashtag Challenge''': Essentially a reimagining of [[Series/AtMidnight Hashtag Wars]], this is a quick-fire round where panelists must come up with snappy punchlines around a certain theme.
10	* '''Needlessly Redacted''': Recorded spoken statements from news reports with particular sections blanked out, and left for contestants to guess.
11	* '''Never Read the Comments''': Two members of the studio audience read [[PoesLaw actual comments on news articles]] [[InternetJerk from CBC.ca's website]], and the panelists must guess which story they're talking about.
12	* '''[[Website/{{Twitter}} #RageWorthy]]''': Panelists discuss whether a particular controversial issue deserved the backlash it got.
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14	The rest of the time, [[RippedFromTheHeadlines one-off games are made up to suit the news stories]]. For instance, in one week where several [[UsefulNotes/CanadianPolitics aspiring election hopefuls]] had to pull out of the race because of [[DidIJustSayThatOutLoud some unfortunate social media gaffes]], contestants played a ''Series/WheelOfFortune'' parody where they had to guess which gaffe went with which candidate.
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16	Contestants on the show have included the likes of [[CanadianMusic Jann Arden]], [[Creator/TheComedyNetwork Mike Bullard]], [[Music/GreatBigSea Alan Doyle]], [[https://www.youtube.com/user/JusReign JusReign]], [[Series/LittleMosqueOnThePrairie Debra McGrath]], [[Series/TheRickMercerReport Rick Mercer]], [[Series/WhoseLineIsItAnyway Colin Mochrie]], [[Radio/TheDebaters Steve Patterson]], [[Series/CornerGas Eric Peterson]], [[Series/TheKidsInTheHall Scott Thompson]] and [[Series/ThisHourHas22Minutes Mary Walsh]].
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19	!!This show contains examples of the following tropes:
20	* BitingTheHandHumor: As is tradition with CBC comedy shows, many jokes are made at the expense of the public broadcaster, especially at the fact that the show has NoBudget.
21	* CoolOldGuy: Eric Peterson, already a well-respected character actor on Canadian TV, absolutely stole the spotlight when he appeared on this show, cemented by [[TheRant his rant]] against the cultural barbaric practices hotline during #[=RageWorthy=].
22	* TheCuckoolanderWasRight: When asked how Guinness was changing the age-old recipe of its beer, Colin Mochrie joked that they were making it vegetarian. Turns out he was right.
23	* FunWithAcronyms: When [[HeteronormativeCrusader Kim Davis]] first broke into the news, the panel had fun making silly acronyms out of her occupation, KFC (Kentucky File Clerk).
24	* GuestHost: Talia Schlanger hosted for Episode 32 of Season 1 while Gavin was on vacation.
25	* TheKnightsWhoSaySquee: Whenever an especially famous celebrity guest stars.
26	** Jann Arden recalls how she "shat her pants" when she realized that [[UsefulNotes/CanadianPolitics Justin Trudeau]] was following her on Twitter.
27	* LighterAndSofter: Than most other [[PanelGame Panel Games]], due to its 11 am Saturday morning time slot.
28	* ShmuckBait: In a discussion about "Happy Birthday" entering the public domain, Gavin mentioned how it was the most popular song in the English language, after "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow". He then gently goaded the panelists into asking what the third most popular English song was. [[spoiler:[[JustForFun/{{Rickroll}} Cue]] [[Music/RickAstley "Never Gonna Give You Up"]].]]
29	* StandUpComedy: Gavin opens every episode with an "in the news this week..." monologue in this style, not dissimilar to Creator/DaraOBriain's openers in [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness the early series of]] ''Series/MockTheWeek''.

Context Radio / BecauseNews